A pilot program at Providence Healthcare hopes to empower patients to be more active in their own care, especially when it comes to preventing falls.

Nicola Bell, a Physiotherapist, and Peggy So, an Occupational Therapist, are bringing a small group of patients together in Providence’s Falls Prevention Clinic for the pilot phase of a program that offers education on topics ranging from physical activity to preventing falls and the importance of brain health.

The program’s content was created by surveying patients to find out what would benefit them most.

The creation and evaluation of the pilot program is supported by the Bellamy Manucha Rehabilitation Applied Research Fellowship, which offers clinicians and trainees a chance to complete a research project under the supervision of one Applied Education Research Operatives (AERO) scientist.

“We’ve wanted to do this for a really long time,” says Bell. “The funding that we received through the fellowship allowed us to have dedicated time each week to work solely on this project.”

The Falls Prevention Clinic aims to maximize safety in the community, promote healthy aging and reduce the risk of a patient sustaining a fall. Patients attending the clinic engage in a one-to-one, tailored, exercise-based treatment program. 

Falls can be detrimental to both physical and mental health, particularly for older adults. The new education program offers patients a space to share their own stories, and engage more actively in managing their own care while learning about healthy aging.

Throughout the three sessions, patients have an opportunity to interact and build connections while learning from each other’s personal experiences and accessing peer support.

The program also focuses on recognizing early signs of decline that might lead to a fall or accident.

“Things like attention, judgement and insight can also have an impact on falls risk,” says Bell. “It’s really about healthy aging overall which is why we included the session on cognition and strategies to try and keep the aging brain sharp.”

While the program is currently in its pilot phase, the team already has hopes for the future. They are gathering feedback from the pilot group to make improvements to the content and mode of delivery for future sessions. The team also recognizes the need to consider how this information could be adapted for patients with varying levels of cognition and those who do not speak English.